Khadeeja Mumthas (born 1955) is a

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

author from

Kerala state Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Cana ...

, India. She is a medical doctor by profession and is probably best known in the Kerala literary circles for her second novel '' Barsa'' which won the

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

in 2010.

Early and personal life

Born in Kattoor in Thrissur district, Khadeeja Mumthas completed her Pre-degree course (PDC) from

St. Joseph's College, Irinjalakuda St. Joseph's College (Autonomous) Irinjalakuda is one of the women's college in the state of Kerala, India. This institution was established in 1964 and affiliated with the University of Calicut. In 1999, St. Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda esta ...

and received her

MBBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

degree from

Calicut Medical College Government Medical College, Kozhikode, also known as Calicut Medical College (CMC), is a school of medicine in Kozhikode (formerly Calicut) in the Indian state of Kerala. The college was established in 1957 as the second medical college in Keral ...

. She mastered in

gynaecology Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...

and is a registered medical practitioner and has been working in Calicut Medical College as Professor in

and

obstetrics Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgi ...

. She applied for voluntary retirement from government service in June 2013 to protest against her transfer from Calicut Medical College at the fag end of her service. She is presently the Vice Chairman of Kerala Sahithya Akademy and is also selected as one of the Academic council member, Thunchathezhuthachan Malayalam university, Tirur, Kerala. She is also a visiting professor in O&G, Malabar Medical College, Modakkallur, Kozhikode.

Literary career

Mumtaz started her literary career with ''Athmatheerthangalil Munginivarnnu'', which was first published as a

serial novel In literature, a serial is a printing or publishing format by which a single larger work, often a work of narrative fiction, is published in smaller, sequential instalments. The instalments are also known as ''numbers'', ''parts'' or ''fascicle ...

in '' Chandrika'' weekly and later as a book by Current Books in 2004. Mumtaz rose to fame with her novel '' Barsa'' (2007), which was a great critical and popular success. The book, which won critical acclaim for its forceful but humorous presentation of the restrictions under which Muslim women are forced to live, was hailed a milestone in

Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puduchery, is one of the six Classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary texts written in Malayalam, a Sou ...

. It won the prestigious

for the year 2010. Mumtaz's next novel, ''Athuram'', released on 28 January 2011 at the 12th International Book Festival in

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

, also received rave reviews from critics. According to renowned writer

U. A. Khader U. A. Khader (16 November 193512 December 2020) was an Indian author. He published in Malayalam, including novels, novellas, short stories, travelogues and non-fiction. His works have been translated to various languages including English, Hindi ...

, this novel, after her acclaimed ''Barsa'', was sure to trigger off a diverse kind of reading and interpretations as it passionately dealt with a sphere closer to Dr. Mumthas by her own experience as a medical practitioner. "The unique style of narration that develops through the inner conflicts of characters is sure to compel the readers' attention throughout the work," he said. In 2012, she published a collection of essays on gynaecology titled ''Mathrukam''. She has also published a collection of her memoirs as a doctor under the title ''Doctor Daivamalla''. She is also a notable columnist writing articles in various magazines.

Bibliography

* ''Athmatheerthangalil Munginivarnnu'' (Novel, Current Books, Thrissur, 2004) * '' Barsa'' (Novel,

DC Books DC Books is a publisher in Kerala publisher of books in Malayalam, and one of the publishers in India . It also operates one of the largest book store chains in India, with a network of over 45 bookshops under the DC Books and Current Books b ...

, Kottayam, 2007) '' Translated to English ,Tamil & Kannada '' * ''Doctor Daivamalla'' (Memoirs, DC Books, Kottayam, 2009) * ''Athuram'' (Novel, DC Books, Kottayam, 2010) * ''Sargam, Samooham'' (Essays, Bookpoint,

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...

, 2011) * ''Balyathil Ninnu Irangi Vanna Oral'' (Short stories, Piano Publications, Kozhikode, 2011) * ''Mathrukam'' (Scientific literature, DC Books, Kottayam, 2012) * ''Purushanariyatha Sthreemukhangal'' (Essays,

Mathrubhumi ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian independence movement, Indian freedom struggle against the British Raj, British. The word "M ...

Books, Kozhikode, 2012) * ''Pirakkum munbe karuthalode'' (Science fiction, Current Books , Thrissur, 2013) * ''Neettiyezhuthukal'' (Novel, DC Books, Kottayam, 2017) * ''Naam Jeevitham Chuttedukkunnavar'' (Short Stories, Granma Books , Kozhikode, 2017) * ''Khayalat'' (Articles, Space Kerala Publications , Kozhikode, 2017) * ''Pranayam, Laingigatha, Sthree vimochanam'' (Articles, Olive Publications , Kozhikode, 2018)

Awards

* 2008: K. V. Surendranath Literary Award for '' Barsa''"Surendranath awards"
. ''The Hindu''. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2013. * 2010:

for ''Barsa'' * 2010:

Cherukad Award Cherukad Award is an annual award given for literary works in Malayalam. The award was instituted in 1978 by Cherukad Smaraka Trust at Perinthalmanna, Kerala, India. It is named after Malayalam playwright, poet, novelist, and political activist Che ...

for ''Barsa'' * 2018: Thrissur Sahithya Vedi Award for ''Neettiyezhuthukal''

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mumtaz, Khadija 1955 births Living people Malayali people Indian women essayists 21st-century Indian Muslims Indian gynaecologists Indian women gynaecologists 20th-century Indian women scientists 21st-century Indian medical doctors 20th-century Indian medical doctors Malayalam-language writers Malayalam novelists People from Thrissur district 21st-century Indian women writers Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Indian women novelists University of Calicut alumni 21st-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian essayists 20th-century Indian women writers 20th-century Indian writers 21st-century Indian women scientists Medical doctors from Kerala Women writers from Kerala Novelists from Kerala Women scientists from Kerala 20th-century women physicians 21st-century women physicians